When we look at our parents, grandparents, and families, we see diseases that have a genetic component. Rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and rare conditions are high among S. Asians. Help us #MapTheGap and create better diagnosis and treatments.

We are Mapping the Gap in Genomic Data

Did you know the incidence of genetic
diseases in South Asia is nearly double that in Western Europe or
North America? Imagine not knowing whether you and your partner carry
a genetic disease...one your child could inherit.

Despite accounting for more than
a quarter of the world's population, South Asia accounts for less
than one percent of available whole genome data. If
your ancestors are from South Asia, that means a lack of carrier
tests, diagnostics, and treatments for genetic diseases that could
affect you and your descendants.

That's where we come in. We are GenomeAsia
100K, a non-profit organization dedicated to our goal of sequencing
100,000 Asian genomes. Map the Gap is our initiative to close the gap
in genomic information for South Asian populations.

Please join us and help to #MapTheGap

Your
genome is your recipe for life. It is your complete set of DNA and
contains all the information needed to grow, develop and maintain you.
Nearly all diseases have a genetic component. For example, single
gene mutations can cause sickle cell disease and Cystic Fibrosis,
while multiple gene mutations (combined with environmental factors)
can cause diabetes and heart disease.

As we unlock the secrets of the human
genome, we can identify the mutated disease-causing genes and
determine whether you are a carrier. That's why it's so important to
have genomic data from all populations.

One area where better genomic data has already made a significant
impact is in diabetes. People of South Asian descent have a risk of
developing diabetes that is six times higher than Europeans. Natasha,
a South Asian living in Canada, knew that her mother and grandmother
were diabetic. Understanding the hereditary component of diabetes,
Natasha’s doctors treated her as a pre-diabetic when pregnant with her
first child. She took medication, controlled her diet, and had
additional blood sugar testing throughout her pregnancy. These steps
lowered her risk and the risk of her child:

“By understanding the genetic component of diabetes, the doctors
gave me treatment that potentially saved my life and my
son’s life. I am backing this campaign so that carrier tests can be
developed for other inherited diseases, and more lives saved.”

By donating to Map the Gap, you are helping
us create a database of genetic information on South Asians. Our data
will be used to develop carrier tests for populations at high risk for
genetic birth defects, reducing the incidence of these conditions over
time. The database will also support research for cures to single-gene
disorders and eventually for complex diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

Donate now and help us better understand, screen and treat
genetic disease in South Asian communities.

Goals

Our short-term goal is to sequence 100 genomes from people from
South Asia to address the current lack of genomic data.

We also want to connect with people with South Asian heritage, to
help us identify people from specific communities we want to create
reference genomes for.

Budget

We need to raise $150,000 to sequence 100 genomes.

As with any crowdfunding campaign, there are costs to run the
campaign, which we have outlined below. We are also offering perks.
Our perks are all DNA related, and we hope that they will help you
start the conversation with friends and family on how important it
is to have ethnicity-specific genomic data for South Asians.

Map the Gap in the News

About GenomeAsia 100k

GenomeAsia 100K was launched in 2016 with
the goal of sequencing 100,000 Asian genomes. With partnerships from
local bioinformatics leaders such as MedGenome in India and Marcogen
in Korea, the scientific team has already sequenced nearly 5,000
genomes. Our efforts will enable precision medicine on a global scale
and fill the gap in data that exists in Asian populations.

Map The Gap Community

Our community shows our leading supporters and the contributions they've made or inspired
by sharing our campaign.

Sign in to get your personal share link and see your position in our
community.

How it works
To appear in our community, simply make a contribution to our campaign
and show your name, or inspire a contribution from someone else by sharing your personal link (below).
The more contributions you make or inspire, the higher you'll go and the more the campaign will benefit.

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take your place in our community!

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you're currently in position of

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you've helped raise a total of .

How it works
To appear in our community, simply make a contribution to our campaign
and show your name, or inspire a contribution from someone else by sharing your personal link (below).
The more contributions you make or inspire, the higher you'll go and the more the campaign will benefit.

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